Indian Women’s Historic Victory Over Maldives By 14-0

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In the first-ever international friendly, the Indian women’s football team secured its biggest win to date with a historic 14-0 victory over the Maldives. This emphatic victory not only reflected the team’s remarkable skill but also highlighted the strong debut of several new players, including Linda Kom Serto, who scored four goals in her first match for the national team. The second and final friendly match against Maldives is scheduled for January 2 at the same venue.

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A Dream Debut for Linda Kom Serto

In contrast, the outstanding player was Linda Kom Serto in scored four for the Indian women’s team on their debut. In fact, it was quite spectacular: 12′, 21′, 29′, and 52′ minutes, to mention all of them. This helped India control the proceedings at one-sided domination in this match. She ensured that her four-goal tally will forever be remembered for a scintillating debut, and the contribution she made played a significant role in the team’s overwhelming 14-0 victory.

Pyari Sasha’s Hat-Trick in Eight Minutes Sets the Tone

Pyari Sasha was another star of the match who managed to steal the show as she scored a hat-trick in an astonishing eight-minute spell. Sasha’s quick-fire goals came in the 7th, 8th, and 15th minutes and depicted her speed and clinical finishing ability. Besides her own goal-scoring, Sasha was also on hand to assist Linda in the 12th minute, which gave India an early lead. Her attacking abilities were an integral part of the team’s dominating play, and her hat-trick was one of the highlights of the game.

Other Important Contributions and Debutants’ Performances

The Indian team was dominant throughout the match, and the scoreline reflected the attacking strength of the Indian team. Neha, another debutant, did not miss the opportunity either as she scored two goals in the 16th minute and the other in the 45th minute. Kajol D’Souza, who played her first game for the national team, added two more goals in the 59th and 66th minutes further increasing the lead of the Indian team.

Sangeeta Basfor (51st), Sorokhaibam Ranjana Chanu (54th minute), and Rimpa Halder (62nd) were the other names in the score sheet that signified the collective team strength as eight players in this match made their debut with new head coach Joachim Alexandersson.

Match Delay Due to Unforeseen Event

The match was temporarily suspended right before halftime when a bizarre incident occurred. A linesman was attacked by a swarm of bees and had to run out of the field in panic. Consequently, the match was suspended for nearly 15 minutes before the play continued. This disruption did not have any effect on the momentum of India, which entered the break with an 8-0 lead.

Historic Victory for India Under New Coach Joachim Alexandersson

It’s one of the biggest Indian women’s football victories by a margin of 14-0 and a rather auspicious start for the Swedish coach Joachim Alexandersson, as he begins his tenure leading the Indian women’s national team. Alexandersson had chosen to hand eight debutants a cap as he made his Indian bow and three of these—Linda Kom Serto, Pyari Sasha, and Neha—combined to score eight as India totally dominated Sweden with an attacking show that needed no improvement.

India’s biggest previous victory came in the 2010 SAFF Championship, where they triumphed 18-0 over Bhutan. While this victory against the Maldives is not quite as large in terms of the scoreline, it still stands as one of the most significant victories for the team in recent memory.

Looking Ahead: The Final Friendly Match

The Indian women’s football team will now look to continue their great form in the second and final friendly match against Maldives, scheduled to take place on January 2 at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru. With the first win under their belt, the team will look to capitalize on this success and further develop their playing style under the guidance of Coach Alexandersson.

This huge win is a bright start for the Indian women’s football team, and it is clear that this future holds much promise for the team, especially when new talent emerges and there is the leadership of the new coach.

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